Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic III
by bradwart
Summary: Cade Richards, Jedi Knight, is drawn into a quest to save the galaxy when an old friend turns up. But the quest is not without danger-will Cade survive? Or will he be changed forever? Revised Edition with new dialogue, writing style, and ending.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I debated over whether to write this for a long time, before I finally decided BioWare and LucasArts weren't going to make KotOR III, instead focusing on the MMO. It was compounded by the news that the game had been officially cancelled in 2005. As such, I'm writing this as my version of what KotOR III might have been. I hope you enjoy it. I'd appreciate reviews after you finish it.

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic III: The Last Battle.

It has been eleven years since the final confrontation between the Exile and Darth Traya on Malachor V

The Jedi have been restored to the galaxy

Peace has broken out across the Old Republic

A new age has begun

But for some, the old age still hangs on.

They have companions that have been lost for over a decade

It is with this that our tale begins.

It begins with a young Jedi Knight, whose desire to prove himself

Would change his life forever.

**Chapter 1: An Unexpected Journey.**

The sky of Dantooine was dark, and the stars were shining brightly tonight. A group of young Jedi were gathered at the old Academy for a night of sightseeing. With them was the Academy's newest Knight, Cade Richards. Cade did another head count. Yes, all twelve were still here. He sighed. While he didn't expect anything to happen, he suspected this was another test, likely thought up by the Council. Cade longed for action, and his Master knew it. This was to see if he would obey when given a lesser task. While he did not particularly enjoy it, he intended to perform it to the best of his ability.

One of the students came up to him. "Cade?" she asked.

"Yes, Lauren? What is it?" Cade replied.

"It looks like there is a ship coming down." she answered back. While Cade knew it was probably only a transport freighter, he decided to look anyway. Sure enough, there was a small freighter making its way down. But it's trajectory seemed wrong, somehow. Khoonda was to the south, and the New Academy to the east. But this appeared to be heading towards them. Something was up.

"All right, everyone. Downstairs for the night-you've been up late enough." All the children groaned, pleading for 'five more minutes'.

"Not tonight." he said, laughing.

After they were all down the stairs, Cade followed, heading to the southern end of the Academy, where the landing bay was. If that ship was to land here, someone would have to find out if it was friendly. He didn't see the point of sounding the alarm on a hunch, though. As the ship drew close, the landing lights kicked on, temporarily blinding Cade. The freighter touched down on the pad, sending waves of dust everywhere. He resisted the urge to cough. Looking out from behind the wall, he saw the freighter's landing ramp touch down. Something about the ship seemed familiar-he knew he had seen it somewhere-and he decided to check it out before reporting back to the Academy. Pulling out his lightsaber, he carefully ducked and walked up the ramp.

The inside of the ship was dark, and a foul odor permeated the air. The hairs on the back of his neck began to stand up. He walked through the hallway, coming to the cargo bay. He managed not to throw up at the smell, but the sight horrified him. There were roughly a dozen bodies in the cargo bay, in varying states of decomposition. One other thing-all were Sith. Summoning his courage, he strode towards where the cockpit

should be. A turn at the end of the hallway prevented him from seeing directly in, so he rushed forward, lightsaber activated. A blur struck out at him with its own lightsaber, and they came face to face. The man stepped back, lowering his saber.

"Are you a Jedi?" he rasped.

Cade replied "I am. Is there a reason for you attacking a total stranger?"

The unknown man sunk into a chair. "Sor..sorry. I'm just a little on...edge." Cade decided to take the initiative.

"What are you doing at the old Academy? It was abandoned years ago."

The man replied "Well, I wasn't aware of any changes, and this is the coordinates the navicomputer had in its memory banks. Now, I need to see the Council immediately."

Cade shook his head. "Not until we've cleared up a few things. Who are you, exactly, and what is this ship?"

The man frowned. "I see. My name is Mical, a companion of the Exile. This ship is the Ebon Hawk, the personal property of Revan. Ring any bells?"

Cade's eyes widened at the mention of Revan. "I think it would be best if I took you to the Council right away. Let's go."

They sat in the speeder that Cade had used to bring the kids over. All the children were talking and asking Mical questions like crazy, which he answered as best as he could. Cade noticed how distracted he looked. Finally, they arrived at the Academy entrance. He parked the speeder in the garage, sent the children off to their dormitories, and walked with Mical behind him. He knocked on the door of his Master's study. There was no answer, so Cade knocked again. "I'm coming! Can't expect an old man to move that fast..." The door slid open, and his Master was there, a puzzled expression on his face.

"Cade? Why are you here? Did something happen? What did you do this time?" Cade began to protest, but his Master droned on.

"Master Bindo, please!" he said finally.

Master Bindo looked at him. "It's a long story, but this man says he knows Revan and needs to talk to the Council." It was then that Jolee noticed the man standing behind Cade.

"You are the legendary Jolee Bindo?" Mical asked, his jaw dropping.

"I don't know about this 'legendary' stuff, but yes, I am Jolee Bindo. Step inside so we can talk before I wake up the Council."

Mical shook his head. "I'm sorry, Master Bindo. I'm afraid this cannot wait."

Jolee gave Mical an appraising look, before he nodded. "If it's that urgent, we'll go now." The three walked toward the Council chambers.

Jolee grabbed a passing Padawan. "Get a friend and wake the Council members, and tell them there's a matter of great importance awaiting their attention. Quick!" They continued inside.

It took ten minutes before the Council was ready. Cade was allowed to sit in the chamber, though off to the side. Master Kae took charge of the meeting. "Who is it that requested this meeting?"

Mical stepped forward. "It was I, Brianna."

Master Kae, the Last of the Handmaidens, frowned. "Mical? Is that you?" He nodded. "Very well. Let us begin with the reason for summoning us here in the dead of night."

Mical began to recount the story. "For the sake of understanding, I'll need to give a little backstory. I was one of the companions of the Jedi Exile during her return eleven years ago." A slight murmur went through the Council at the mention of the Exile. "As many of you know, the Exile went to the Outer Regions to attempt to locate Revan. I was left on the planet of Onderon, as were most of her companions, with the exception of the droids. Rather than move on, I acquired a position with Queen Talia as a historian, continuing the work of documenting Onderon's history. It was three months ago when I received a message requesting a meeting with 'an old friend.'

Upon arriving at the meeting, I was met by the Exile herself. She said that they had run into 'difficulties' on their search and needed me for my historical knowledge to proceed. I took a leave of absence and left immediately. We soon arrived, where I discovered that Revan and the Exile had discovered some kind of map, and were having trouble reading it."

Another Master interrupted. "Revan is alive?" she asked.

"Yes. He was alive when I last saw him, though that could have changed. After doing some research I interpreted the map. We set out to follow it and arrived on an unknown world. It was there that we discovered an entire empire, one that had been there for millennia. It turned out to be the True Sith." There was a silence in the room as they all pondered what that could mean. "We managed to land on the planet undetected, and, being all Force users, were able to enter the general population undetected. It turns out that these Sith are an offshoot of the former ancient Sith Empire on Korriban. It wasn't long before we discovered that these Sith had merely taken over the planet from the Rakatan Infinite Empire."

The Master who had inquired about Revan's status sat up. "You said the Rakatan Infinite Empire? As in the empire responsible for the Star Forge?"

"Forgive me, but who are you?" Mical asked.

She nodded. "Master Bastila Shan, one of Revan's original companions and one of the group that found and destroyed the Star Forge."

Mical looked at her. "Revan spoke of you often, and asked me if I had heard anything of his original companions." Bastila smiled. He continued. "We gained access to their computer system and found battle plans for the Sith fleet. They're planning an invasion of Republic space in less than three weeks." The air in the room went cold.

"Are you certain?" Master Kae asked.

"Yes. We discreetly checked around and found that a massive fleet will be leaving soon, one that outnumbers any force the Republic will be able to muster."

The Council members looked at each other. "The Republic must be informed immediately!" one said.

"It will hardly make a difference." Bastila said. "According to Admiral Onasi, the fleet is stretched thin as it is."

Mical cleared his throat, getting everyone's attention. "There is something else. While we were searching, we came across some old Rakatan files. I discovered references to a "Star Forge", which Revan initially dismissed as the one that was destroyed at the end of the Jedi Civil War. However, some differences appeared, and it became apparent that there was a second Forge located in the Outer Regions."

"A second Star Forge? That's not possible!" Bastila replied.

"I'm afraid it is. It seems as though the one you destroyed was only a test bed of sorts for the final thing. This is why I have come."

"What is it you are asking, sir?" Master Lee said.

"Revan, as always, has a plan. He feels that if we can find this second Star Forge, we can create a fleet large enough to stop the Sith invasion."

Bastila shook her head. "Has Revan forgotten what the first Forge was capable of? It would likely destroy anyone who tried to use it, or at the very least turn them to the Dark Side."

Mical nodded. "Yes, but Revan feels there is no choice. He asked me to bring a small strike team back. But there is a complication. The only way to find this Forge is to follow the original Star Maps, so we need people who originally found them to speed things up."

The Masters looked around the room. "You have not told us everything. Something is missing."

Mical grimaced. "I was separated from Revan and the Exile on the planet-I had direct instructions to get to the Hawk, and return to known space as soon as possible. I have no idea where they are. I fear the worst, though, as I discovered several Sith Assassins on the Hawk while returning."

At this, Cade's stomach flipped as he recalled the mess in the cargo bay.

"So you are asking us to send a strike team of Jedi to attempt to use a powerful artifact of the Dark Side that may or may not exist, and that we may not even be able to control?"

Mical shook his head. "Revan is asking you. I am but a humble messenger."

Master Kae sat back. "Allow us a few minutes to convene. We will call you when we have decided." Mical bowed and turned to the door. Master Bindo motioned for Cade to follow.

Cade and Mical sat on the bench outside the Council chambers. "Do you really know Revan?" he asked.

"Yes." Mical replied simply.

"What is he really like? All I ever read is accounts that seem biased." Cade asked.

Mical paused. "Revan is likely the most powerful Jedi of all time. Most importantly, Revan is the only person I have met who puts the needs of the galaxy before even his own safety. There are things about Revan you are not ready to know, however, and I will not share them here." The door reopened. The two of them filed back in.

"The Council has come to an agreement. We have decided that there is no alternative, and we must concede the point. We will honor Revan's request. You leave tomorrow."

**Chapter 2: Starting Off.**

Cade woke up. He got dressed and walked to the Council Chambers. There, the Masters were planning how to organize the team. "Well, we could..."

Cade stood at parade rest until Jolee spotted him. He walked over. "Got something on your mind, do you? Walk with me." They entered the Academy gardens, until Jolee found an empty bench.

"Don't tell me-you want in on this." he said, as a statement rather than a question.

Cade smiled. "Am I that obvious?"

Jolee snorted. "Son, if you hadn't wanted to go I would have been shocked. But I'm not so sure about this time." Cade said nothing, sensing a story.

"I know you're a grown Knight now, and I'm not really your Master anymore, but let me tell you something. I was also part of Revan's search for the Star Forge. In fact, Revan found me on Kashyyyk and convinced me to rejoin the Order."

Cade listened intently-unlike most of Jolee's stories, he had never heard this one.

"When we entered the Star Forge for the final battle, it was terrifying. I felt like my skin was crawling with the Dark Side. So much evil in one place...I don't know how we stood it. Even Revan knew that the Forge was beyond his control." He paused, remembering. Cade noticed that Jolee's hands were shaking slightly. "I'm saying that I'm not sure you're ready for that kind of power."

Normally, Cade would have rolled his eyes, but there was something different about Jolee's tone that made it seem so serious. "I'm not sure if I'm ready either." he replied.

Jolee looked at him, with respect in his eyes. "When did you get some sense knocked into you?" he said, teasing. "I'm going to leave the decision up to you. If you think you can handle it, tell me and I'll put your name forward. If not, I won't."

Cade sat for a moment, contemplating. "If I'm not ready for it now, I won't be later. I'll do it."

Jolee nodded. "If you think you're losing it, get out of there. Don't wait." He stood and walked back to the chamber.

An hour later, an announcement went out over the intercom. "Cade Richards to the Council Chamber, please." He ran there, carrying his pack.

There was a small group there. "Ah, Cade. The last one. Are we ready?" Master Kae asked.

"Yes, Master." he replied, looking at the other party members. Master Shan was there, along with Mical, and a few others he didn't recognize. Jolee came up behind him.

"Who are all these people?" he asked Jolee.

Jolee glanced around. "We decided to send Master Shan, Mical, and a few of Revan and the Exile's old companions. This is Mandalore."

Mandalore glanced at Cade, then turned without saying a word.

"He's like that." Jolee explained. Moving on to the next person in line, a Miraluka woman. "This is Visas Marr."

She nodded to Cade, who returned the greeting. He went to the last person in line.

"This is Atton Rand." A man in a leather jacket looked at him. "A little young, isn't he?" Atton asked.

"Are you sure you're not too old?" Cade replied, grinning.

Atton laughed and slapped Cade on the back, then turned to face Master Kae, who was giving a speech.

Friends and fellow Jedi, I wish you luck in your quest. A final word of caution: Do not underestimate the lure of the Dark Side, especially when you deal with the Star Forge. The rest of your party will meet you in orbit around Manaan. We will travel to Coruscant to warn the Council and the Republic of the impending invasion, and we will hope for your success. If any of you feel as though you shouldn't go, now is the time to say so."

No one spoke. "Very well. A speeder is waiting to take you to the Ebon Hawk, which has been cleaned and loaded with supplies and equipment for your journey." The group walked out. Cade bid a final farewell to Jolee and followed.

Master Kae handed a datapad to Mical. "This is the coordinates from the Star Map here on Dantooine-to save you a trip I sent a runner last night."

He nodded. "Goodbye, Brianna."

Atton settled into the pilot's chair. The Hawk seemed to be in better shape than it was after Malachor, clearly it had been repaired at some point. The engines responded rapidly, and he pushed them to full throttle, lifting off.

Cade tossed his duffel on the bed in the port dormitory, and returned to the main hold. Master Shan was sitting there, along with Mandalore and Visas. He felt the ship shift to hyperspace. They were conversing about old times, which made Cade feel slightly left out. It wasn't that they were rude or anything, it was just that they were all at least ten years older than him, and they all knew more about the situation than he did. Excusing himself, he returned to his cabin.

After he closed the door, Cade settled into a meditative posture and relaxed his mind, opening himself to the Force.

The Ebon Hawk arrived at Manaan. There was a small Republic frigate orbiting the planet. A shuttlecraft exited it's docking bay and came toward the Hawk, mating with the docking collar on the top of the ship. The hatch opened, and a few people began to descend the ladder. Cade walked into the hold, seeing the group in the hall around the hatch. A Republic Admiral was there, and a second woman descended. Master Shan motioned to Cade. "Cade, this is Carth Onasi, a Republic Admiral."

Carth shook his hand. "Glad to have you aboard, Admiral."

Carth smiled. "Carth, please." Cade nodded.

The second person was another Jedi, a Cathar woman. "This is Master Juhani." Cade bowed before her. She returned the bow.

Bastila hit the intercom. "Atton, take us into Ahto City, please." The ship descended and landed at the port.

**Chapter 3: Manaan. **

The ramp descended, revealing the light of Manaan. The party descended the ramp. Cade again felt weird being with this group of older people who all were familiar with each other.

Bastila was speaking. "We're here to locate the Star Map that is down under the ocean. To do that we'll need the cooperation of the Republic Embassy and it's Ambassador."

Cade spoke up. "How will we get to it if it's under the ocean?"

Juhani cleared her throat. "There was a secret base being built here during the war to speed up the harvesting of kolto. Hopefully it's still intact, as Revan ended up destroying the harvester to access the Star Map."

"Destroyed it? Didn't that hurt the war effort?" Cade asked.

Carth laughed. "You would have thought so, but the base was shut down because a giant Firaxan shark drove all the Selkath scientists insane, and they wiped out the researchers. The base wasn't complete, either, so the production hadn't started. We were lucky, though, that the Selkath courts were involved and decided not to restrict the exports of kolto to the Republic's war effort."

They came to the exterior of the Republic Embassy, and walked inside.

The Ambassador glanced up. "Welcome to Manaan. I am the Ambassador for this planet, Roland Wann."

"Mr. Wann, I am Jedi Master Bastila Shan, and this is Admiral Onasi. We need to talk in private."

Wann nodded. "Of course. My private office is right this way. The rest of you can wait out here."

Cade turned to Juhani. "Will he let us into this secret base?"

She laughed. "He's the same Ambassador that was here during the War. I'm sure with a little reminder of how he owes us, it shouldn't be a problem."

A few minutes later, Carth stormed out, followed by Bastila, who was trying to calm him down. "Little prick. You can bet you'll be fired within a month, Roland!" he shouted back.

"He didn't give us permission?" Juhani asked, shocked.

"No. He claims that he has no idea what we are talking about and that he is unable to help us. We reminded him of who we are and how he owes us, but he claims that as an Ambassador he is unable to bend the rules for anyone. I'd so just love to-"

"Carth, calm down. Remember who you are. Admirals can't threaten to kill Ambassadors, there are too many bleeding-heart sympathizers these days." Bastila said in a warning tone.

"So what do we do now?" Cade asked.

Mandalore shifted. "Well, we could..." No, Canderous. We will not blast the guards and charge the entrance."

"Listen, princess, unless you have a better idea-"

"Hold on. Why don't we just sneak in at night? The guards will be half asleep and it shouldn't be too hard. We steal a sub and travel to the base." Cade suggested.

The group paused. "You know, kid, that just might work. I like it." Carth said, clapping him on the back. They returned outside and went to the neighboring hotel to plan their infiltration.

----------

Carth looked at them all. "Okay. I'll walk in the Embassy and state that I have an urgent message for the head of the security force. While the guard is checking it, the rest of you will sneak in and make your way to the back of the embassy. If you encounter any resistance, make sure they don't sound the alarm. I'll meet you at the bay shortly after you get there. Hopefully we can be back fast enough to avoid notice, but if we aren't we'll have to bluff our way out. Right. Let's move."

Carth walked up to the guard in full uniform. "Soldier, you go get your head of security right now! I have an urgent message from Command."

"But, sir, I can't leave my post."

"Son, did I ask you for your opinion? Do it!" Carth yelled.

"Yes sir!"

As the guard walked away, muttering something about the Navy and Admirals in general, Carth motioned to Juhani, who was standing at the corner, invisible.

The group, Cade in the lead, snuck through the entrance and headed for the submarine bay. A guard stood outside, but he was snoozing in his chair. The panel was to the side.

Atton popped the access panel off. "Watch this, kid." he whispered to Cade. Atton yanked out a wire and spliced it into the main panel. The door unlocked and they slid through, Carth right behind them. Cade jumped in the submersible.

"Nope, you get out of there. I'm not having some kid take me down under water." Mandalore said.

Bastila cleared her throat."That 'kid' is one of the most capable pilots I've seen in years. Either get in or you can stay up here."

"Okay, okay. Wouldn't want to step on the Princess's slippers." Mandalore replied

Cade closed the hatch and disengaged the locks. The sub dropped into the water, and Cade took the controls, programming "Ahto City Base" into the computer.

Twelve minutes later, they docked. "Uh oh." Carth said. The bay was a mess, the roof supports caved in, and the lights were out.

"You mean to tell me they left the base abandoned for over a decade?" Mandalore asked.

"I guess they had a reason. Let's see if the doors are still operational." Atton replied. They were, and the group went inside, not noticing the door closing and locking behind them. The lights inside were still out. Cade drew and activated his lightsaber. The rest of the Jedi followed suit, and the hallway was lit enough to see the way forward. There were bloodstains and skeletons scattered everywhere.

When they came to a doorway, Cade thought he saw something moving in the room. He stopped and leaned inside. Suddenly, something clubbed him on the side of the head and started to drag him into the room.

Atton glanced around. "Hey, where's Cade?"

They all looked around. Mandalore shook his head. "That kid is too young to be on this. He's"

Carth noticed the shoes disappearing into the room. "In here!" he shouted.

Bastila charged in to see a Selkath getting ready to take a bite out of Cade's arm. She swung her lightsaber and cut the Selkath in two. She made sure the room was clear before kneeling down to check on Cade. "Cade. Cade. Speak to me, Cade!" She shook his shoulder.

"Wha?" he replied, coming to.

She sighed. "We were worried. Apparently there are crazed Selkath down here still-one knocked you out and tried to eat you."

Cade jumped up. "Let's get things done and get out of here."

Bastila addressed the team. "Okay people, we've got a problem. There are insane Selkath down here. Everyone needs to stay together and keep your eyes open. We need to move quickly and get out of here as soon as we can." They began to jog down the hallway.

"Okay, reviewing the schematics from this place, we need to turn left here and proceed to the airlock." Carth yelled. Just as the airlock was in sight, the Selkath attacked.

"Form a circle! Don't let them grab you!" Bastila shouted over the shrieks of the Selkath.

Cade lit his lightsaber. He swiped and cut down two Selkath. But it seemed as though they were endless. Mandalore threw a thermal detonator into the center of the crowd. It exploded, sending bodies everywhere. Cade continued to cut down the Selkath, and the others followed suit. But there were still more enemies. Finally, Bastila concentrated, drawing on the Force. She threw all the energy she could muster into a massive Force Wave, sending Selkath flying everywhere.

"Move!" Carth shouted. They entered the airlock, and Atton slammed the door shut, while Mandalore spun the wheel around. They all collapsed against the wall, breathing hard.

"Let's not do that again." Carth said.

Cade struggled to his feet and pulled open the lockers. There was only one suit.

"Great. Who gets to go alone?" he asked, tossing the suit down.

Atton checked the tag. "It's a medium too-Carth and I are too tall. And it's too big for the others."

Cade looked up. "I guess that leaves me then."

Bastila stood up. "Oh no you don't. You're too young."

"And what other option do we have? We can't just cut and run because a suit doesn't fit. I'll be fine-just tell me how to record the data from the Star Map."

She passed him a datapad. "Just get near it and it will take care of it automatically. But be careful-the Map is a powerful artifact of the Dark Side."

He pulled on the suit. "Anything else?"

Mandalore walked up. "You'll need this sonic blaster, kid. In case there's some Firaxan sharks out there.

Cade nodded. "Thanks." He pulled the helmet on, grabbed the blaster, and walked into the outer airlock chamber. Slapping the switch, he felt the tank begin to flood with water. The wheel spun, and the outside door opened. Cade stepped out into the open water.

The first thing he had to adjust to was hearing total silence, apart from the sound of his own breathing. And though the suit was pressurized, it felt like the water was waiting to crush him. He made it outside the alcove and saw something in the distance. "That must be the Star Map." he said to himself. The soft mud turned to grated deck plates coated with rust. There was a bridge ahead. He passed a decrepit terminal that was shut down. Continuing ahead, he finally reached the Map. It seemed to shift, and began to spread apart. Cade watched it open and display a map of a sector of the galaxy. He raised the datapad, which activated and took the coordinates down. He turned around and started walking back to the airlock. Turning the corner, he forgot to look and was thrown to the ground by a Firaxan shark. It tried to bite into his oxygen tank. He pounded on it, but it didn't seem to be having any effect. He remembered the blaster and grabbed it from his belt. Pulling the trigger, the shark rolled back and away. He stood up, before noticing the tear in his suit. It started to fill with freezing cold water.

He had to make it to the airlock. Staggering forward, he limped to the door and hit the switch. The outer door opened as his helmet filled with water. Cade held his breath. Finally, the door was open wide enough to get inside. He slammed the switch and saw the door closing. He needed to breathe-badly. The light finally flashed green. The water started to slowly drain. His lungs were burning. Finally, Cade couldn't take it anymore and pulled the "Emergency Release" lever. The door blew open, sending water across the room. He collapsed onto the floor, ripping off his helmet. Water flowed out, but Cade got a needed breath.

"What happened?" Atton shouted, trying to get the suit off.

Cade was shivering-the water had been freezing. "Shshshark. I'm okokay."

The suit came loose and Cade slid himself out. He handed the datapad to Bastila, who handed it to Mical.

"Yes...this looks good. Here's the first part of the coordinates. You did good, Cade." Mical said.

Cade lay on the floor, coughing out water and catching his breath. "Thanks." he sputtered.

After they got Cade dried off, the group gathered together.

Mandalore peered out the hatch. "Looks clear." he said.

Bastila nodded. "Let's make a run for it-if they attack, don't stop. Those with blasters-make potshots if you have too."

Mandalore slammed the hatch open and they all dashed for the exit. The Selkath began to screech as they ran by-following behind them. Carth, Atton, Mandalore and Cade fired their guns as they ran backwards, keeping them at bay. As they came to the exit door Bastila noticed it was closed. She used the Force to open the lock and the door. The last four went through it, and Carth shot the control panel, slamming the door closed.

Breathing heavily, Cade jumped in the sub. "Let's get out of here before they break down that door."

No one argued, and they all piled in. The hatch slammed, and Cade took the ship back up to the Embassy.

The hatch popped, and they all climbed out. Mical noticed the Ambassador waiting at the entrance. He motioned to Carth.

Carth strode over. "Yes?" he asked, annoyed.

"I thought you might take matters into your own hands. I'm under direct orders not to mention the base, so I couldn't help you. What happened down there?"

Cade looked at him. "You've got a bunch of insane Selkath down there that attacked us."

"But...how? They should all be dead?" Wann said, puzzled.

"We don't know, and I don't really care. I'd recommend blowing that place up, though." Mandalore said, striding past him. The rest of them followed, heading back to the Ebon Hawk.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 4: Shifts and Sands.**

On board the ship, Mical was inputting the data from the Star Map into the plotting table.

Carth was watching him. "Any luck?"

Mical didn't immediately answer, instead finishing plotting the data. "Well, we've got the general direction. But we'll need more data from the maps."

Carth shook his head. "If only we'd kept the data from our original journey."

"It's possible that might have worked, but remember-the Maps are constantly repairing and changing based on stellar drift. Most likely the data would have been too obsolete anyway."

Mandalore strode in and sat next to Carth. "Cade in the cockpit?" he asked.

"Yeah. Atton and him are having a blast." Carth said in reply.

"The kid did good. Didn't panic today-I was rather impressed. Fighting off that shark would have been impressive for a Mandalorian."

Carth smirked. "I thought you said he shouldn't have come on the trip?"

"I know what I said. But the kid is changing my mind rather rapidly."

Carth nodded. "He certainly surprised me. I was pretty scared down there, but he almost looked like he was having fun fighting off the Selkath."

Mical looked at Carth sharply. "You thought so too? I'm a little surprised by the way he was down there. He seems to be happier and more effective as the challenge increases."

"Wasn't that Revan's strength as well? That was one of the key reasons he did so well in the Mandalorian Wars-the challenge kept increasing, so Revan became as powerful and effective as he could be. It was said there was none who could match him in combat." Carth replied.

"That's most likely true." Mandalore said.

"It seemed the harder we pushed, the tougher Revan became. When the final battle came at Malachor, he was willing to do anything to achieve victory. Even Mandalore couldn't match his tactics or his skill. It was an epic contest, but in the end it was no contest at all. As I watched, I saw that Revan was toying with Mandalore. He wanted to test him to see who was better. While I don't see Revan in Cade right now, it's possible he could be his equal. The signs are there."

Mical frowned. "I think we'd best involve Bastila in this conversation. And possibly Masters Kae and Bindo. We'll meet in the cargo hold in five minutes."

Cade listened as Atton described the Hawk's features. "She's possibly the fastest ship in the entire galaxy, thanks to a lot of fine tuning over the years, as well as a prototype Tarisian accelerator."

"But why make a ship like this that fast?" Cade asked, puzzled.

"Smuggling, kid. This ship used to belong to Davik Kang, an Exchange crime lord on Taris. Revan stole the ship and escaped the Sith blockade just minutes before the planet was bombarded to rubble."

They continued to talk happily back and forth as they traveled to Tatooine.

ared her throat. "That 'kid' is one of the most capable pilots I've seen in years. Either get in or you can stay up here."

"Okay, okay. Wouldn't want to step on the Princess's slippers." Mandalore replied.

Bastila set the holoprojector in the middle of the cargo bay. It hummed and brought up the holoimages of Masters Kae and Bindo.

Jolee looked around. "You people look a bit concerned. Master Shan, do you have something to report?" he said.

"Yes, Master Bindo. We're becoming a bit concerned by Cade's behavior. Let me clarify: He's not a problem in the way you might expect. We're becoming concerned that he might possibly not be ready for this. We've seen that he seems to lose himself in battle. Sound familiar?" She asked.

Jolee frowned. "Are you saying he might be following Revan's path?"

Mical leaned forward. "We're not necessarily ready to make that declaration. But we are becoming concerned-he seems to become more powerful with battle. His lightsaber skills were more impressive today than they were just a week ago."

Master Kae turned to Master Bindo. "Jolee, you've got the most experience. Is there any other cases where this has happened?"

Jolee considered. "Revan is the most obvious example. But there were others. Master Kavar, Exar Kun, the Exile, and Master Vash. So it's not necessarily a bad thing, or even an implication of a tendency toward the Dark Side-Masters Kavar and Vash were two of our strongest Council members. Still, it is something that merits close monitoring. Do you think you will be able to guide him along the path, Bastila? If he can succeed, it will make him a powerful Jedi and an asset to the Order."

After a considerable pause. "I will try to help him. And if I see signs that he is turning away from the path?"

Master Kae didn't hesitate. "Do what you can to stop it." The connection terminated.

The _Ebon Hawk_ descended into the landing area. The group walked down the ramp. The gates were open and no one tried to bar their entry, so they walked into the city. There were small stalls lining the main street. Bastila walked up to one marked "Speeder Rentals."

A small, dirty Jawa was sleeping in his chair. Atton pounded on the table. "Hey! Wake up!"

The Jawa, startled, fell off his chair. "Ah, giants of humans. You are here to rent speeder?"

Atton nodded. "How much?"

The Jawa did some quick figuring. "100 credits."

Carth stepped forward and counted out the chips. The Jawa nodded. "Here are ignition codes-you find speeder outside city."

The 'speeder' was in rough shape.

Atton lifted the engine cowl. "I don't like the way things look, but it's not as though we've got a lot of choice. Cade, this thing seem operational to you?"

Pressing the starter, Cade checked over the gauges. "Everything seems okay. Let's go and get back before dark."

They all grabbed a seat. Cade punched the throttle, heading to the coordinates Mical provided.

Fourty minutes later, Cade and the others were looking around at a barren stretch of desert.

"I don't see the dragon's cave-are you sure these coordinates are accurate?" Carth asked.

Mical slapped the datapad. "Seems so-I checked them myself based on the data from 15 years ago. Let's fan out-see if we can spot it."

Cade began to climb a hill, trying to get to the high ground to see the surrounding area. At the top, he didn't see anything nearby. Giving up, he started to run back down the hill towards the speeder. He stopped and turned when he noticed a small cave off to the left.

"Over here!" he yelled, waving. The others reached him.

"Nicely done, Cade." Bastila said. They walked toward it. It was barely big enough for one person to crawl through-barely.

"I'll go first." Cade said.

Carth started to shake his head. "Oh no you don't, mister. You've done enough for one trip. Let someone with more experience go first."

Cade snorted. "Look, old man, it makes sense. I'm the quickest and the youngest. I'll be able to check the tunnel and get out if things start collapsing. And I'll be fine-don't worry about me."

Before anyone had time to argue, he dove head first into the hole. Carth sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Does that kid ever listen to anyone?"

Bastila was laughing. "You've forgotten what it was like to be his age, Carth. If you'd stop trying to be his father and treat him like an equal, he'd respond much better." Carth was about to reply when the ground shook, and the tunnel collapsed under a wave of sand.

"Cade!" Atton yelled, running over to where the hole was. He started digging in the sand, but it kept sliding down and filling what he removed.

Carth whirled around. "Juhani! There were some powershovels in the back of the speeder-get them and bring them back as quick as you can!"

Cade pulled out of the end of the tunnel, coughing as the cloud of dust reached him. Well, he hadn't expected that to happen. He checked his belt to make sure his saber was still there, and started walking towards the faint light ahead in the tunnel. He reached it-it was the Star Map. Luckily, he had a spare datapad on him. The map activated, and Cade downloaded the data.

"Well, that way is blocked. I guess I'll try this way." he said aloud, walking down the tunnel.

The air seemed to be blowing this way, so he knew there had to be a way out. He continued walking until he heard a sickening crunch underneath his boot. He pulled out his saber and lit it to see what he had stepped on. It looked like some kind of egg-he couldn't tell what had been in it-and it was then that he noticed that the floor was lined with eggs. Cade spotted a tunnel ahead, and began to pick his way through the egg field.

Juhani rushed up with the powershovels. Carth tossed one to Mandalore and one to Atton. They all started digging, trying to expose the hole. But the more they dug, the more shifted to take it's place.

"It's no use." Carth said, throwing the shovel into the dirt.

"What else do you suggest we do, Carth?" Atton demanded.

Bastila intervened before Carth's temper got the better of him again. "He's not dead-I can sense that much. Cade's resourceful. I would bet he's looking for another exit right now. Let's climb this hill and wait to see if we can spot him or another entrance."

Her suggestion made sense, so they all agreed and trudged up the hill.

Cade turned into the tunnel. It was open into the desert! He started to walk out when he realized where that breeze had been coming from. A massive Krayt Dragon lay at the foot of the tunnel. Cade impulsively started to back into the tunnel, away from the dragon, when he stepped on an empty eggshell. The crack seemed horrendously loud-it made Cade jump a bit, knocking over a pile of scrap. The dragon lifted its head, spotting Cade. It came to its feet, and began to reach into the tunnel. It pounded and raged, trying to get Cade.

The others spotted the cloud of dust and ran towards it, hearing the dragon roar.

Cade ran back into the main chamber with the eggs. Panting, he was deciding what to do when he saw an egg in front of him begin to hatch. A baby dragon fell out. It was about half his height. It sniffed the air, and turned, spotting Cade. The dragon cocked it's head, looking at him for a moment. Then it leapt at him. Cade had his lightsaber up just in time-he severed the creature's head. The other eggs began to hatch. Cade backed himself into a corner, hoping to avoid detection. But as they hatched, they all attacked him. He continued to swing his saber back and forth, cutting dragon after dragon. He laughed, enjoying the fight the longer it went on. In fact, he felt more powerful than ever, confident enough to take on anything. Cade was finishing off the last of the hatchlings, and he turned to rush the tunnel and try to kill the dragon outside. He entered the light, temporarily blinded. As his vision cleared, he saw a massive head swinging towards him.

_This is going to hurt._ he thought to himself. He felt the head slam into his side, lifting him off the ground. As the breath left his body, he felt his saber go flying. Then he noticed the wall was approaching with alarming speed. He slammed into it, breaking his back, then he fell towards the ground. The landing hurt more than the actual impact did, he noted glumly. He looked down and saw his shin was poking out of his calf, and noticed his guts didn't feel quite right.

Cade expected to be eaten, but the dragon seemed confused for a moment. Cade felt his connection to the Force shift and strengthen, and it almost seemed to be someone else who moved his hand and taught him a technique he didn't recognize. He used it anyway, as a last-ditch effort. The dragon screamed in pain as it was suffocated, finally collapsing. He knew it was dead, but he continued to use the power, refusing to let go. Bastila and the others had witnessed Cade being thrown, then saw him perform a Force Crush on the dragon. She continued running towards him.

As she reached him, she saw he was spitting up blood-clearly he was bleeding inside. "Cade-where does it hurt?"

"Everywhere." he gasped, coughing up more blood. He passed out.

Bastila turned to Juhani. "I don't know if I can do this, Juhani-I need your help. Mical and Visas, you too. Throw everything you've got into a Force Heal and we'll hope for the best."

The four surrounded Cade and reached into the Force. Carth, Mandalore, and Atton watched as Cade was bathed in Force energy and as the air around him roiled with power. Finally, they collapsed backwards, exhausted.

Atton ran forward. "He's okay-looks stable. I won't be able to tell until I get him back to the ship, but I think he'll be all right."

Atton and Carth were loading Cade into the speeder-he was still unconscious-while Mandalore examined the dragon, telling Bastila what he was finding. "Definitely dead. See the eyes? It strangled, all right. Looks like it's throat was crushed."

Juhani walked out of the tunnel. "Dozens of dead dragon hatchlings inside."

Bastila looked at Cade's lightsaber in her hand, which the dragon had stepped on and broken.

"I know what you're thinking." Juhani said.

"Yes, he's becoming more powerful, and now it seems he's also more dangerous. I don't know where he learned how to Force Crush. It takes an immensely powerful Jedi to even use the power, let alone effectively. But sending him home would be the worst thing I could do. I will try to train him how to control his power. Before it consumes him." She turned and strode to the speeder.

Mandalore looked at Juhani. "Who's she to try and control that kid's future? If he's destined to be this powerful, let him get there by himself instead of hampering it."

Juhani frowned. "For once, Mandalore, I find myself agreeing with you."

**Chapter 5: Kashyyyk.**

The _Ebon Hawk_ leapt into Hyperspace. Atton was monitoring Cade's condition-Carth was flying the ship. Atton noticed the brainwave monitor began to spike. Cade's eyelids flickered, and he sat up with a start.

"Atton-what? Where am I?" Cade said, confused.

Atton pushed him back down on the pillow. "You're on the _Hawk_, kid. You gave us quite a scare back on Tatooine. Took all of the Jedi to heal you."

Cade pondered how much power that would have been. "I was that bad?" he asked.

"You were worse-broken back, broken shin, massive internal bleeding and lacerations, ruptured eardrum, broken jaw. You're lucky to be alive."

Cade looked sheepish. "I guess I kind of lost control there. I don't know what I was thinking. It was almost like a bloodlust-I wanted to kill the dragon. The power was...intoxicating."

Atton shrugged. "Probably normal. One day of bed rest, kid. Minimum. It'll be three days before we get to Kashyyyk anyway, so no hurry. Get some sleep."

Atton turned out the light and closed the door. Cade settled back on the bed. _Sleep sounded nice_...

In the cargo hold, Bastila and the others were discussing the latest events with Masters Kae and Jolee.

"You say he used a Force Crush? How did he learn that?" Master Kae demanded, turning to Jolee.

Jolee shook his head. "I never taught him anything like that, and he never researched anything that would lead him to that power. I think the Force was at work here."

Atton walked in. "I've just spoken with him. He said that he felt like it was a 'bloodlust' that took control of him, and that the power he felt was intoxicating."

Jolee spoke. "Well, that much is understandable. He's never seen real battle like that before, and Jedi can get a little goofy during it. As for the power, that's roughly normal too. But being subconsciously taught a Force power is uncommon enough-it's unheard of for it to be a power so deeply rooted in the Dark Side."

Master Kae turned back to the group. "It's possible that due to the strong dark side influence in the cave, and being exposed to the Star Map temporarily changed his connection to the Force. Bastila, you said you detected only positive waves emanating from him once he was on the ship?"

Bastila nodded.

"Then it's likely a matter of being on the edge of death-it would have compromised his defenses from outside influences. He should still be watched closely, but there isn't any cause for immediate worry." Master Kae finished.

Bastila breathed a sigh of relief, then added, "His lightsaber was destroyed in the attack, I'm afraid."

Jolee visibly winced. "Poor kid-it's not like he hasn't had enough trouble lately. What do you have for spare weaponry?"

Bastila looked at Mandalore, who added, "We've got some spare blasters the kid could use-and one vibrosword. I'm assuming he'd be a better match for the sword, so I'm going to make sure it's in good enough shape to use after we're done here."

Kae nodded. "Very well. Keep us apprised of any further developments." The projector shut off.

Carth was making some adjustments to the ships trajectory when Cade came walking in.

"What's up?" Carth asked.

"Just bored. Not much to do back there." Cade replied.

"Well, we're almost to Kashyyyk. I'm sure there will be plenty to do there." Carth said.

"Right. I just hope there won't be any combat for once-it might be a bit difficult without a lightsaber."

Carth nodded. "We'll try to keep things calmer on this one. You'll want to stay close to the group this time, that's for sure."

Cade laughed. "Don't worry, I've learned my lesson."

Carth pulled the ship out of Hyperspace. He checked the landing grid-the old pad was still operational. The _Hawk_ set down on the pad.

Zaalbar was waiting for them at the pad's entrance. Carth walked up and greeted him. "Zaalbar, how are things?"

"Much better, thank you. We've got a pretty good tourist industry now, thanks to the Republic. But I'm sure you didn't come for that."

Carth nodded. "No, we didn't. We're here to see the Star Map again-need some more coordinates. It'd take too long to explain, though. But first, is there a weapons store around here?"

Zaalbar pointed off towards the old Czerka compound. "We keep it there for the tourists, mostly, but they should have what you need."

_I doubt it._ Cade thought.

They said goodbye to Zaalbar and walked into the shop.

"Hello, offworlder. Could I interest you in a blaster?" the Wookie storeowner asked.

Mandalore shook his head. "We're in the market for swords right now."

The Wookie nodded. "Very well. My selection is rather limited at the moment-but here is what I have."

Cade looked through the racks. He spotted something and grabbed it. It was a weirdly designed lightsaber-it took him a moment to realize it was a double-bladed version.

He motioned to Bastila. "Where would he have gotten this?"

She took it from Cade and looked at it. "Probably a trader or something. Let's see how much he wants for it. A saber would be a better fit than these blades here."

She set it on the table.

"How much?" Mandalore asked.

"It's free if you promise not to try to return it-I've had so many returns from customers who've cut themselves. Apparently the twin blades mess them up." the Wookie replied.

Cade agreed not to return it and walked out of the shop with it. He activated it, and twin silver blades appeared. Giving it a twirl, Cade felt like it was easier than his old saber.

Bastila warned him, "Be careful how you swing that until you get used to two blades-it took me a while to master."

Cade nodded, and they proceeded to the elevator to the Shadowlands.

The group walked in a rough line through the Shadowlands.

They passed an old hut when Juhani laughed. "This was Jolee's when we found him-looks like no one bothered to claim it."

Cade glanced at it. "That was a lot nicer than Jolee makes it sound-he always talked about sleeping on the ground and how he kept one eye open all the time to fight off the waves of Kinrath Spiders. I'll have to give him a hard time about that."

Carth laughed. "That old coot does like to tell his stories. Thing is, they were either total crap or completely true-and you couldn't tell between them, they were all so outlandish."

They reached the Star Map. Mical recorded the data into a pad and started walking back along the path. The rest began to follow suit when Cade noticed a group of Kinrath off in the distance.

He motioned to Atton, who got Bastila's attention. "Ah, you want to use them as training?" she asked.

Cade nodded.

"Go ahead-should work fine. They're a threat to anyone passing by anyway." she said.

Cade activated his lightsaber and settled into a ready stance, then sprinted into the kinrath. He sliced one after another-he noticed how the twin blades were much more effective, and how it seemed that the saber were a natural extension of his body.

Bastila noted this with interest-he had a great deal of potential, it seemed. A little rough around the edges, yes, but Jolee had done a fine job training him. Maybe it would be wrong to limit his potential. She planned on speaking with Jolee when they returned to the _Hawk._

Cade ran back up to the group.

"Impressive, Cade." she said. "Few have the talent to master the twin blades. I think you'll do fine, however. You've really impressed me on this trip-it seems you have a lot of talent and potential."

He looked at her crossways. "Is this the same Master Shan I knew on Dantooine? I remember being told how I had to limit myself to keep from being exposed to the dark side."

She smirked. "Yes, but that was different. That was before I had seen how you handled yourself in battle. Glad to have you on the team."

He nodded graciously in reply, but she noticed an extra bounce in his step as he pulled ahead with Atton.

Juhani came beside her. "That was the right thing to do." she said.

Bastila smiled. "It seems so. I think we all worry so much about losing everything we've gained in the last decade that we forget how things used to be. He needed that restriction lifted. I'll still watch him, but I won't bug him constantly about avoiding the dark side."

Juhani smiled back. "I think we've learned the lesson that Masters always learn-our pupils teach us more than we teach them."

They continued walking back until they reached the ship.

**Chapter 6: Changes.**

They were all sitting in the main hold-the ship was on autopilot.

Bastila looked at the group."Okay, everyone. We've been saving it for last to delay it as long as possible. The final Star Map is on Korriban. Now, the planet has been abandoned for years, but we should still be on our guard-according to the Exile's reports, there are many creatures in the caverns, one of which contains the Star Map. Plus, there are dangers here far older than you can imagine. We'll be sure to avoid Ajunta Pall's tomb. We'll need to find Naga Sadow's tomb, and then get inside. The only one who knows the layout is Revan, however-we weren't allowed to enter. Let's see if we can find it-and let's avoid entering the Sith Academy-there are still a lot of nasty things in there."

Atton went forward and took the ship down on to the surface, landing on the edge of the Valley of the Dark Lords. When they all gathered by the ramp, Cade saw Visas, Juhani, and Mical were missing.

"Where are the others?" he asked.

Bastila shook her head. "They all decided to stay behind. I think they're worried about the dark side. I'll leave it up to you whether you want to go."

Cade didn't hesitate this time. "If I feel things start to get out of hand, I'll turn around."

The ramp lowered, and the hot, dry Korriban air rolled in. He coughed a bit at the chalky taste of it, and then walked down it, the rest following behind.

There were four tombs in the valley. Two had collapsed entrances. Bastila recalled from memory that one was Marko Ragnos's tomb, and one was Hord's tomb, so that meant one of the remaining tombs belonged to Naga Sadow.

"How will we find which is which?" Cade asked her.

"We explore them-there's no real other choice. Let's just hope that we don't pick Pall's tomb."

Cade turned around. "What's so scary about this Pall guy? I know he was a Sith Lord and all, but he's dead."

Surprisingly, it was Mandalore who spoke. "This Ajunta guy is technically dead. But the last time we entered his tomb he appeared in spirit form-scared most of us out of our wits, expect for Revan."

Bastila nodded. "I was...indisposed at the time and wasn't here, so I can't say for sure what happened-I only found out through Revan a few weeks later."

Carth, Mandalore, Atton, and Cade all shoved themselves against the tomb door-it refused to open at first until it finally started to slide in. They stepped inside.

The air was stale and close. Rather than use sabers, drawing attention to the fact that they were Jedi, Mandalore had issued them all flashlights before they left. Cade clicked his on and started walking forward, with the others following.

Bastila noticed that even though he was the youngest, they all were beginning to see him as the leader. He was also unconsciously taking command, though he never said anything or questioned one of the others' judgment. She saw more of Revan in him by the day, it seemed. Though he wasn't an exact clone-Cade had a sense of reservation, of caution, that Revan had never seemed to exercise or possess-Revan expected results, and when he didn't get them he often took matters into his own hands. While it made them different, each way was it's own strength, not a weakness as some might define it.

They came to another door. The latch was less weather-damaged-Cade was able to slide it open alone. He waited for the others to join in pulling the door open. Ahead was a tomb. There was no Star Map. The door slammed behind them, and their lights went out.

Cade stepped back and rejoined with the group. He drew his saber, though he didn't light it.

"Now what?" Carth hissed.

Bastila whispered back. "No idea what to do. But we need to get out of here."

Cade felt the room grow colder. "I think something's here." he whispered.

The others looked around, trying to make something out in the darkness. A purple light appeared off to the right. It writhed and twisted until it formed the shape of a Sith Lord. "Have you come to steal my sword? I tell you, you shall not have it! No one shall! It is mine, and mine alone! Now you must die!"

The ghost rushed at them-_surely it couldn't attack, could it?_ Cade thought.

Bastila leapt out in front of the group and began to duel the Sith Lord. Their sabers met, crackling and sparking. Though he only had a single lightsaber, he defended against her double blades effortlessly.

She shouted, "Get the door open and get out of here!"

Carth and Mandalore began to fire their blasters into the ancient hinges. The hinges started to crumble. Cade was mesmerized by the fight-it was some of the best saber combat he had ever seen. Just as it seemed Bastila had the upper hand, Ajunta sent a surge of dark power through the air, slamming her into the wall. He then lifted her up and began to Force Choke her. "And now, you will die for entering my tomb."

Cade didn't even remember choosing to enter the fight-it was automatic. He didn't remember roaring a battle cry, either, but that's what Atton told him later. He did remember swinging his saber with all his might, trying for a killing strike. Ajunta whirled at the last moment, dropping Bastila, and parried the stroke away.

The ghost smiled. "Another victim-good. This one needs a lesson in obeying his superiors."

Cade began to strike at him, and the combat began. Stroke after stroke, parry after parry, the fight continued, neither combatant giving the other an inch. The others were dragging an unconscious Bastila outside the tomb. Mandalore was watching in something close to awe-here was a kid, barely a Knight, taking on one of the most powerful Sith Lords of all time, not minding the danger, not caring of the risk. He was enjoying himself, just as a Mandalorian would. It seemed as though the battle could go on forever.

Cade, however, was beginning to tire. He'd been keeping this up for twenty minutes now, and he was approaching the point of exhaustion. He decided to risk it and opened himself fully to the Force. A wave of power washed into him. It reinvigorated him, and he threw himself back into the fight with all he had. This was no longer just a Knight defending himself-this was a Knight defending his friends, doing whatever was necessary to stop the enemy. This was a Jedi at war. As he watched, Mandalore realized he was now having trouble keeping track of the strokes-and they were still getting faster. Atton was next to him, watching with equal interest.

Cade could sense the Sith Lord was wearing out, and something in the back of his mind told him that something that was not alive was no longer in tune with the Force. It seemed that this was true. He noted Ajunta's face beginning to show the strain of battle. Cade watched, trying to spot any advantage. Suddenly, Ajunta misstepped, stumbling. Cade used the Force to push him over and disarm him. Then, not hesitating a bit, Cade took his lightsaber and stabbed the Sith Lord in the heart. The ghost screamed, and began to writhe and disappear. When it was over, Cade stood there for a moment shaking, his chest heaving. He turned off his light saber, placed it on his belt, and began to walk out of the tunnel, not saying a word to anyone. Mandalore exchanged a glance with Atton. Neither of them spoke, instead helping Carth carry Bastila back to the _Hawk_.

It was a few hours later when Bastila awoke in the medical room. She blinked a few times, seeing Carth in the chair in the corner.

He smiled. "How are you feeling?"

She sat up, running her hands through her hair. "Terrible. What happened back there? How did we get out?"

Carth shook his head. "It was...unbelievable. When the Sith Lord started choking you, Cade, well, he reacted immediately. He charged the Sith Lord, and they began to fight. We dragged you outside to get you away from there. The battle...is nearly indescribable. I've never seen so much power, Bastila. Not from you, not from the Masters, not even from Revan or Malak. Cade dueled him for over thirty minutes, single-handedly, never missing a beat. It was like he was a machine-we couldn't keep up with his strokes. Mandalore himself said it was the most impressive fight he had seen in his life, and that not even Revan would have been able to equal it. Near the end, when Ajunta tripped, Cade slammed him down and disarmed him, and he stabbed it through the heart. After that, he stood for a few seconds before he walked back to the ship-he didn't say a word. And he's been in his dormitory since."

Bastila sat, quiet. She knew that Cade had to have been in a state of 'total war', and she knew how that had happened. From her reading, she was well aware of the effect that had on Jedi from the reports in the Archives, though it hadn't happened in over five centuries. Sometimes, it had changed them for the better, while others had left the order, unable to come to terms with what they had done. Either way, he was going to need someone to talk to. She slid out of the bed, walking out into the hallway.

As she entered the main hold, she noticed the others were all talking.

"Bastila, you're awake! How do you feel?" Juhani asked.

"Well enough." she replied. "Is Cade still in the dormitory?"

Juhani nodded. "Yes. He's going to need someone to talk too, but I knew it wasn't me. What he did..." she trailed off.

Bastila shook her head. "It wasn't the dark side, Juhani. We've been wrong the entire time. Don't worry about that anymore. I'll tell you later what's been happening with Cade. But I need to go talk to him right now."

Bastila slid the latch on the door and stepped into the dormitory. Cade sat on his bed, motionless, his eyes boring a hole into the deck plates at his feet. She sat on the bed next to him. Neither of them said a word for several minutes.

Cade finally spoke. "I, I think I'm falling to the dark side, Bastila. I'm not ready to be here-I should return to Dantooine immediately, and study for several more years before venturing out again."

She turned to him. "You say that, but you don't really believe it's true. And you should know that it's not. You're not going to the dark side, Cade."

He scoffed. "Really? Then how do you explain me killing an unarmed combatant without offering him a chance to surrender, or showing him mercy?"

She shook his shoulder. "If you were going to the dark side, you would have relished the kill, you would have been glad. Cade, it's time I was honest with you about a few things."

He turned, giving her his attention, wondering what she hadn't told him. "First things first. During the Jedi Civil War, on my travels with Revan, do you remember me saying I was 'indisposed'?"

He nodded, not seeing where she was going.

"Cade, during that time I had been captured by Darth Malak, and fell to the dark side. I became his apprentice, I betrayed my oaths, I betrayed my friends."

Cade looked surprised-clearly he hadn't been expecting this.

"Later, during that final battle on the Star Forge, Revan defeated me and turned me back to the light. So you can imagine I have a bit of first hand experience about this subject." she said, with a faint smile.

"What's the other thing?" he asked.

She paused. "We've been watching you the entire trip, trying to see what was happening to you-it was plain you were undergoing a change. It wasn't until I heard of what happened in the tomb that I made the connection with what was happening." She took a breath. "It's been nearly five centuries since someone was a part of the class you are becoming. It's nearly unheard of because it's been so long. It's called the Jedi Warmaster. Basically, members of your class were typically the most powerful of their generation. Even all the Council members combined couldn't match the power of a Warmaster. What happened to you today is what made me realize that. You basically lose yourself in battle, and today was a very difficult battle, so you unconsciously used the Force form of 'total war'. That's why you ended up stabbing the ghost. Not from some 'dark side' influence, but because the Force was controlling you to do what was right. It's a very rare gift you have been given."

Cade was momentarily silent, pondering this information. "So what do we do now?" he asked.

"We would normally take you before the Council on Coruscant, but that's not an option at the moment. I'll try to train you the best I can for the remainder of the mission. It's the best I can offer."

Cade nodded. "At this point? I'll take all the help I can get."

They settled down onto the floor and began to meditate, with Bastila showing him how to center himself in light of his new abilities.

The next day, the group of them left the _Ebon Hawk_ again and headed for Naga Sadow's tomb.

"We're sure this is the one? I can't be pulling this 'total war' stuff all the time, you know." Cade said, teasing.

Mandalore laughed. "He's got you there, Bastila."

She said nothing, though she was laughing inside.

They pulled open the door and started walking in to the tomb. She hoped that there were no apparitions or other nasty surprises in this cavern-Cade needed a break after yesterday. They came to a three way junction in the tomb.

Mandalore looked around. "Center one." he spoke.

They opened the door. There was a river of what looked like acid flowing through the room.

"Great. How do we cross this?" Carth said.

Cade began to turn around. "We check the other rooms and see what's there-could find a plank of sorts."

His suggestion made sense, so they turned around and headed for the right side of the junction. The door was ajar, so they walked through. A pair of skeletons were sitting in the chamber.

"Terentateks." Bastila said. "Revan said he found them on Korriban."

Cade nodded and walked across the room to the second door. A lever stood by it. Mandalore jerked it and the door slid open. A pillar stood in the center of the room, with a crate below it.

Carth cracked the lid. "Looks like some kind of grenade. Ice, I'd say."

Atton snapped his fingers. "It's simple-we throw the grenade at the river and it'll freeze over. Then it's a simple matter of walking across it."

Mandalore took the grenade from Carth. "Let's go do it instead of standing around, then."

At the river of acid, Mandalore flicked the switch and threw the grenade. It cracked and froze the river solid.

Cade stepped lightly across it. "Seems safe enough. Don't hang around on it, though."

After they had all crossed it, Mandalore pulled a second lever, which opened the door into Naga Sadow's tomb itself. The sarcogaphagus sat in the center of the room. And there, behind it, was the Star Map.

"Last one." Cade said, recording the information.

"Now it's off to the Unknown Regions." Bastila added.

Cade looked a little worried at that. Bastila saw the look, and felt relieved. Cade knew he wasn't invincible, which was the cause of death for most of the previous Warmasters. They exited the tomb and headed for the _Hawk_.

On board, Mical was plotting the last of the data. "The final coordinates point to...here. About a day's journey from the Sith homeworld."

Bastila walked to the cargo bay. "I'll need to inform the Council. Cade, you're with me."

They walked together across the ship. She entered, closed the door, and activated the holoprojector. "I'm contacting the Council on Coruscant-it's where Master's Kae and Bindo are anyway."

Cade laughed. "Never thought I'd be involved in Council business. At least, not for a long time."

She laughed. "Well, you will likely _be_ the Council's business for a while."

The projector beeped. "Link established." a recorded voice said.

The image of the Jedi Council Room on Coruscant appeared in the cargo bay. "Master Shan, you have something for us?"

She nodded. "Yes, Masters. I'm here to report that the mission has been a success-we've acquired the coordinates of the second Star Forge."

Master Kae nodded. "That is good news indeed. But we've been discussing matters-we're afraid there isn't a Jedi powerful enough to use it's power without being corrupted. From what Revan has told us, he barely controlled the first Forge, and this second Forge is supposed to be much stronger."

Bastila cleared her throat. "It appears the Force has presented a solution to our problem. Masters, I'd like to introduce Cade Richards, one of our newest Knights."

The Master of the Council leaned forward. "Ah, so this is the legendary Cade we've been hearing so much about from Jolee. While we are all impressed with his accomplishments, and at such a young age too, I'm afraid we don't see where you are going with this, Bastila."

"Masters, are any of you familiar with a long forgotten class of Jedi called the 'Warmaster'?"

The room went quiet, and Jolee wondered where she was going with this. "Yes, Bastila. We are also aware that no Warmaster has existed in over five hundred years."

"Not anymore. Cade here has become a Warmaster."

The Council was silent. No one spoke for a full minute. Finally, the Master looked up. "Cade, it appears we've misjudged you greatly. I owe you an apology." He bowed, surprising everyone. Cade was speechless. "You have our respect and our ears. If you have any suggestions, feel free to bring them forth as you see fit."

Cade managed to stammer a 'Yes, Master." The Master nodded.

"Now, as a Warmaster, you will be the only person potentially capable of controlling the Star Forge. But it will come at great personal risk-the strain could kill you, or worse." He left the comment hanging. "We are not going to order you to do this, but we remind you-the fate of the Republic is at stake."

Cade didn't immediately reply. "Masters," he spoke, "I do not know if I am ready for this. But I do know that if I don't try, I'll likely never know. I will travel to the Star Forge and attempt to harness its power for one last time."

The Master nodded. "That was the answer I was hoping for. Very well. We wish you the best of luck. May the Force be with you."

The connection terminated. Bastila didn't say anything for a moment. She turned to Cade. "In all my years, I have never seen the Master of the Council bow before anyone. What you've experienced...treasure it forever."

Cade didn't reply. "You know, when this is over they'll appoint you to the Council, and grant you Master status." she added.

Cade looked at her. "I'd be honored, but I think after this is over I'll need some time to think about whether I'm ready for that." He walked out.

The _Ebon Hawk_ was flying through Hyperspace toward the coordinates Revan had given to Mical.

Cade sat in the cockpit with Atton, looking over the read outs and monitoring the progress screen to see how long was left in the trip. "Roughly an hour left, folks." he said on the intercom.

Atton looked at him. "You ready for this, kid?" he asked.

Cade glanced over. "I'm ready for it, yeah."

"Meeting Revan should be interesting. It shouldn't be a problem, but it'll be interesting to how he reacts to someone more powerful than he is."

Cade hadn't thought about that yet. And the Exile would likely be interesting, as the only person who had turned away from the Force willingly and survived. But that was an old story, one a little more documented than Revan's had been. Cade stood and walked back to his cabin for a chance to meditate and center himself-it was likely to be the last chance he'd get for a while.

Juhani was walking down the corridor when she spotted Cade meditating in his dormitory. The air around him was roiling with the immense power of the Force being channeled through Cade. Bastila saw Juhani standing there and walked up beside her to see what she was looking at. She too saw Cade.

Juhani shook her head, grinning. "I never would have expected so much from someone so young in the Order."

Bastila smiled slightly at that, then let the look fall. "He'll be okay." she said, more to herself than anyone else.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 7: The Unknown Regions.**

The _Ebon Hawk_ extended the landing gear and settled down on an unnamed moon somewhere in the Unknown Regions. Cade was at the ramp, and he lifted a cover and hit the controls to lower the ramp. There was no one in sight. Mandalore strode down the ramp, followed by the others.

Mical looked around again. No Revan or the Exile.

"Well, lets give them a while. Everyone stay where you can see the ship-but fan out and look for signs of people having been here." Bastila ordered.

Cade wandered off to the north, following what could have passed for a path except for the lack of footprints. He thought he saw something moving. Jogging forward, saber in hand, he came to a small hill and looked over the top. There was a campfire, and two people were sitting around it-a man and a woman. Cade watched for a bit, but then turned around to get the others.

They all strode along towards the direction Cade had taken earlier. Suddenly, they came up to the clearing. A man was sitting there and turned to see them.

"Evening." he called. "Pull up a seat."

Bastila had been in the back, waiting to see. She walked around.

Revan stood upright when he saw her. "Bastila?" he asked. It had, after all, been fifteen years.

She nodded, walking up to him. They embraced, and Cade saw more emotion in that hug than he ever expected to see from any Jedi.

Bastila was looking into Revan's eyes-still the same, just a little more worn than when she had last seen him. He leaned towards her, whispering in her ear. "I'm so sorry I couldn't tell you where I was going." he said.

She nodded. "I understood, Revan. Things were always different for you."

He frowned. "I thought of you every day. I expected you to have moved on by now."

She grinned. "Move on from Revan? Who else could compare?"

He looked at her robes. "A Master? Good. You always deserved it."

She looked around. "Where's that psychotic assassin droid of yours?" Revan shook his head. "Been lost for a long time. I'm not sure where he went."

Across the fire, the Exile and Atton were having a similar reunion. Cade and Mandalore stood alone at the edge of the campfire.

"Emotional nonsense." he grumbled.

Cade had to laugh at that one. "If you didn't care, why did you agree to come?"

Mandalore spoke up. "The fighting was always more exciting with Revan. And it's been a long time since I had a good fight. You always seem to handle them by yourself-tell me, where's the fun in that?"

Cade continued to laugh, getting the attention of Revan.

He looked back at Bastila. "Who's the kid?"

She turned serious. "That's Cade. He's been with us the whole trip."

Revan walked up to Cade. The two looked at each other, appraising the other for a full minute. Cade finally held out his hand. Revan took it, and the two shook. After the greetings were completed, they all sat around the fire.

"The Star Forge." Bastila said, looking at Revan.

He nodded, frowning. "Yes, a new Forge, one far more powerful than the former. I've been thinking-I'm not sure how anyone alive can control it. Even I don't have that kind of power."

They had all suspected that, but hearing it from Revan highlighted how serious the situation was.

Bastila shook his shoulder. "We may have a solution. Though we didn't know or even suspect at first, there is one person who might be powerful enough to control it."

Revan's head shot up with interest. "And who might that be? Where can we find that person?"

Juhani pointed. "Right there, across from you."

Revan looked at Cade, his jaw dropping. "But...how? Unless...unless you're something very special indeed. Let me guess: a Warmaster?"

Cade nodded.

Revan considered the idea. "That just might work. Perhaps there is hope after all. Let's get going-we'll need all the time we can get."

As they walked back, Revan and Bastila hung back a bit from the main group. "He's really a Warmaster?" Revan asked.

Bastila nodded, "Revan, you can't even begin to comprehend the power he has. Remember the spirit of Ajunta Pall you met on Korriban?" she asked.

He frowned. "Why-what happened?"

She related the story to him. Revan was shocked-he would never have imagined that any Jedi was capable of that much, let alone someone as young as Cade.

"How is he holding up? I've seen the archives same as you have, Bastila. I know what happened to most of the Warmasters. This can't be easy for him."

She turned. "It's not. I don't know what this is going to do to him, Revan. Both the Council and I offered him the chance to back out. He refused both times, saying that it was his duty. But he's not stupid-he knows he's not invincible."

Revan was silent. "He's likely to either die in the attempt or succeed and be changed forever." he admitted. "Call it a fifty-fifty chance."

Bastila shook her head. "I think he knows, too, but he plans to do it anyway."

Revan wrapped his arm around her. "It's not our choice. If the Force wills it, he'll make it through." He didn't have to mention the alternative. They entered the ship.

**Chapter 8: The Star Forge.**

Revan stood in the cockpit behind Atton and Carth, who were both piloting the ship at its top speed. He looked at his surroundings fondly-the _Hawk_ always felt like his ship. The countdown clock reached zero, and Carth throttled them back out of hyperspace. The Star Forge was in front of them, immense and powerful. He noticed the presence of a white hole near the base. So that was how it was more powerful-the Rakata had placed it to capture the energy emissions from the white hole for power, rather than sapping a star like the original design. He noted that the space seemed deserted. "Land us at this top array. We'll proceed to the control room from there."

Cade walked down the ramp. He motioned to Revan. "Lead the way."

Revan walked ahead, though he walked softly. Cade noticed the increased presence of the dark side, though it didn't seem as strong as he had expected. Probably, he thought, because I'm younger and not as experienced at detecting it. They came to a massive platform.

"Elevator to the control room." Revan said. They climbed up onto it and it rose into the top of the Forge.

In the control room, they all turned to Cade.

"The rest of you go to the observation deck." Revan ordered, though Bastila and the Exile remained behind.

"Okay, Cade. This is a list of what we need the Forge to produce, so you have an idea." the Exile showed him.

Cade reviewed it, committing the numbers to memory.

Revan grasped Cade's shoulders. "Now. To control the Forge is relatively simple. You have to literally _will_ it to work the way you want it to using the Force. It's going to resist you greatly-the Forge will have acquired a mind of its own. You'll likely have to pour all your power into it. Just be careful-if you can't control it, the Forge will begin to control you, and destroy you in the process. Ready?"

Cade nodded. He settled into a meditative position, and closed his eyes.

Revan motioned to the other two to stand back. He felt the air become alive with the Force, but Cade seemed to be alright so far. They watched him for over half an hour. Cade had thrown himself open to the Force fully-it was taking everything he had to keep this up. The Forge was literally alive, and it was testing him, fighting back. He was beginning to buckle under the strain, and the Forge knew it. He knew there was no other alternative though. Then, for some reason, a random memory came to him. He saw in his mind Bastila and Revan hugging, saw their love together, and knew that it was because of the evil in the universe they had spent so long apart. _They deserve better. The universe deserves better. _He felt himself becoming stronger and he began to push back against the Forge's influence. It was now feeling the strain. Finally, with one mighty push, he forced the Forge to bend to his will, and it acquiesced. He ordered it to start the machinery, and produce what he wanted. Then, spent, he collapsed on the ground.

Revan ran forward. "Cade! Wake up!" Cade didn't move. "He's still alive-that's something. But I can't tell if he's exhausted or if his mind is gone. It'll be a few hours before he wakes up, if it all."

The Exile was examining the displays. "He did it-the factory is starting up and producing what was on our list."

Revan felt a sense of relief tempered with concern. If Cade was dead, it was his fault for involving him in this. _Better to have fallen or died than risk someone else, especially someone as young and innocent as Cade. _

Bastila saw Revan's face-she knew that look better than anyone. "It's not your fault. There was nothing else that could be done. Don't beat yourself up about this-there's a lot of work to be done. We've got a battle to win."

The others came down from the observation deck. They saw Cade lying in the corner, but no one had the courage to ask what had happened-they knew that things were working, however. Revan began to outline his plan of attacking the Sith fleet.

Cade was drifting somewhere, though he couldn't make out where he was. He felt like he was lost. He remembered controlling the Forge, but something had gone wrong. Something wasn't right. Suddenly, Cade began to have a flashback. He was sitting outside the Jedi Academy on Dantooine, looking at the new lightsaber that had been a gift from Jolee upon receiving his Knighthood.

Jolee spotted him on one of the benches and walked over to sit beside him. 'So, Cade. How does it feel to be a full Jedi?"

Cade was grinning. "It's both exciting and a little scary-I'm not an apprentice anymore. No one is there to have my back."

Jolee shook him. "Of course people have your back, kid. You're not being kicked out into the galaxy to go and do as the wind takes you. Just remember-never forget your way home."

Cade looked at Jolee funny. "Why would you say that? I know where Dantooine is."

Jolee shook his head. "Not here home. I mean here." He pointed to Cade's heart. "Sometimes it's easy for us to get lost and forget where we came from. If you don't forget where home is, you'll never be lost."

The flashback ended. _Now why did I remember that?_ Cade thought. It all seemed so unimportant. For once, he didn't feel stress, he didn't feel fear or pressure. He was free. Why would he want to change that?

Atton was looking over Cade. "He seems to be an empty shell, Revan. I'm not going to lie. The body is there, but it doesn't seem as though Cade's there."

Revan bent over to pick him up. 'Let's get him back to the _Hawk_-it can't be any worse than being here." They carried him back to the elevator.

Cade was still drifting around, deciding what he would do. He heard footsteps behind him-it was Jolee.

"You're here too?" Cade asked, laughing.

Jolee came up and smacked him up the side of the head. "What do you think you're doing?" Jolee demanded.

Cade frowned. "I'm not sure-I just know I'm here. And I don't have to worry anymore."

Jolee looked like he was going to thump Cade again. "You know, of all the people, you're the last I would expect to chicken out. Don't have to worry anymore indeed-so much for a Jedi Knight. You don't even deserve to be a Padawan. You swore an oath to the Order and the Republic. You didn't swear to turn away in its time of need."

Cade nodded. "But what do I do?"

Jolee grinned. "You follow your way home, kid. You know that." And it seemed that Cade did know that. He walked off and entered the light.

Cade jerked awake, sitting up in bed and taking a deep breath. He was back in his room on the _Ebon Hawk_. Resting his head in his hands, he remembered what had taken place. He shivered a little at the memory of what he had been prepared to do. _Never again_, he thought. Cade picked up his lightsaber from the shelf next to the bed and walked out of the ship.

Revan was watching the final ships leave the Forge, assembling into a fleet outside. He saw Cade walk up beside him, looking out the window.

"It's beautiful." Cade remarked.

Revan nodded. "Everything okay?" he asked.

Cade turned to face him. "Yeah. Everything's fine." he said quietly.

Revan made no comment-though the experience had clearly changed the boy, he did in fact seem to be all right. Bastila and the others appeared.

"The fleet's ready, Revan." Atton called. They noticed Cade.

"Hey!" Carth yelled. "You alright? Glad to see you up!" Atton added.

Cade nodded, grinning. "Just a little tougher than I thought." he remarked.

Revan strode past them all to the elevator. Cade watched him go. While the others followed, he went up to Bastila.

"Is Revan okay?" he asked. She looked at Cade. "He will be. He just feels horrible at the moment. By his reckoning, it would have been better for him to try and have died than for you to have gone through that. We thought your mind had broken under the strain-it was hard on him to not be able to do anything."

Cade didn't reply, but he understood.

**Chapter 9: Korriban Prime.**

Revan had chosen his flagship. The _Hawk_ landed in the shuttle bay. They went up to the bridge. Revan turned to the Exile. "Rachel-please direct the ships to fire on the main orbital stabilizers of the Star Forge."

She nodded, entering the commands. The turbolaser cannons hammered the stabilizer, causing the Forge to de orbit and collide with the white hole, which produced a massive shockwave as it exploded.

"Good riddance." Cade muttered.

Revan turned. "Plot a course for Korriban Prime."

"Korriban Prime?" Bastila asked.

"That's the name of the Sith homeworld-apparantly our Korriban is considered Korriban II." Revan replied. "Now, the object is to arrive in orbit and destroy the fleet. Bastila, we'll need your Battle Meditation to help with that."

She nodded, and began to prepare herself.

Revan continued, "Cade, you and I will board the Sith flagship and kill their leader, Darth Terek, to neutralize the Sith threat once and for all. The rest of you will help Rachel direct the fleet-if she asks for something, you do it. Understood?"

Everyone nodded. "Arriving at Korriban Prime!" Rachel announced. Revan and Cade left, walking to the shuttlebay.

Cade took the controls of a light shuttle, with Revan strapping in beside him.

"The flagship is the big black one." he told Cade.

Cade engaged the thrusters, and the shuttle shot out of the bay into the middle of the battle. He had to dive and spiral around turbolaser shots, rocks, and debris from the battle, but he managed to get the ship to the hangar of the Sith flagship. They unstrapped and ran down the descending ramp, deflecting blaster shots and killing the Sith combatants before running into the lift. Revan noticed how fast Cade was in combat, and realized Bastila had been understating the boy's power. The lift rose up to the Command Deck. Revan stepped out, realizing how eerily similar this was to when the Jedi strike team had boarded his own flagship. _But there was no Warmaster then_, he realized. Cade would make the difference.

The doors to the access hallway opened, revealing a group of Dark Jedi. Their lightsabers were out and they charged the two Jedi. Cade leapt in, saber flying. He cut down one Dark Jedi after another, Revan following suit. After the last one had been killed, Cade proceeded straight on to the Bridge. Revan noticed he seemed less human as the battle had progressed-this was the Total War Force Form at work. The ship rocked and began to list a bit. Cade sliced the door controls, and the blast door cycled open. The command consoles were unmanned. Only one person was there on the bridge, kneeling in a meditative position. The two of them strode together until they were a few feet from the Sith Lord, just outside of saber range.

"Darth Terek, we have come to bring you to justice for crimes against the galaxy and for plotting to overthrow the Galactic Republic. You can choose to surrender, in which case we will take you back to the Jedi Council for immediate trial and probable execution. Or, you can refuse, in which case we will kill you and leave you here on your ship as it's destroyed. Your call." Revan finished.

The shape stood, and turned around. It's face was hidden by a mask. The figure began laughing. "I have no intention of being taken anywhere by a broken-down Sith Lord and a boy." he replied.

Revan frowned. "I guess that would be option 'b' then. Very well."

The figure lit its lightsaber and moved to strike Cade, who was gone in the blink of an eye. The Sith Lord whirled to see Cade behind him, twirling his saber and grinning. "Care to do better?" Cade asked, taunting.

Darth Terek didn't reply, instead turning on Revan. Revan was strong, but not strong enough, Cade knew. The two of them dueled while Cade watched for a short time. But they were too evenly matched-and they didn't have very long. When Revan misstepped, the Sith Lord swung his saber, cutting a chunk out of Revan's leg. Cade leapt into the air, coming between Revan and Terek, and used a Force Push to slam Terek into the viewing window. Revan panted a 'thanks" as Cade walked towards Terek. The Sith Lord lept to his feet, and they met in combat. Light against dark, Jedi against Sith, the fate of the Republic hanging in the balance. Cade knew that if he fell here, there would be no one powerful enough to stop the Sith from destroying the galaxy. Their combat continued.

During one parry, the Sith Lord laughed again. "You're weak, Jedi. A boy cannot hope to defeat me. Surrender now, and I might spare your life."

Cade grinned. "You think I'm that stupid, Sith? I'd rather die than become a weakling like you."

Revan saw the air become dark with the Force around the Sith Lord. "Fool-only a Jedi would be so stupid as to deny his true power."

Cade decided enough was enough. _Let's see what I can really do, _he thought. Cade pushed with his mind, opening himself to the Force to an extent even greater than he had been on the Star Forge. _It's getting easier to do that,_ he realized. Cade restarted the battle.

The Sith Lord began to panic as he felt the strength of the Jedi. _How is this possible?_ he screamed in his mind. His defenses were useless-the Jedi was like a machine, smashing his every block and batting away his attacks as easily as one might do to a child. All his knowledge, his power, was useless. Suddenly, he realized he would die here. This didn't demoralize him as it might have-he tried to fight harder than before, to change his destiny as the Sith had always tried to do.

Finally, Cade saw an opportunity in the Force and moved his saber, slicing the Dark Lord's saber in two. The Sith collapsed to the ground, stunned. "How?" he asked, rasping.

Cade looked down. "You already know the answer to that, Sith. In the name of the Galactic Republic, I declare you a traitor to all races, and to the Jedi. You have been judged. Consider this the sentence." And Cade, with a mere flick of his wrist, removed Darth Terek's head from his body.

Cade stood for a moment, clearing his head of the Force form. He holstered his lightsaber. Walking over to Revan, he helped the man climb to his feet and they walked down the hallway together. Revan looked at Cade's face. He no longer saw the boy that had been on the moon-he saw the face of a man, of a Jedi, hardened by war but tempered by kindness, a person of quiet, immense strength. They reached their shuttle and Cade took off.

He turned on the radio. "This is Cade." There was a crackle of static.

"This is Mandalore, we hear you."

Cade smiled. "We're clear-blow that ship out of existence."

He heard Mandalore's satisfaction in his reply of "Sure thing, kid." Cade saw Revan's flagship bombard the black vessel, causing it's reactor to go critical. The viewscreen polarized enough to see the remaining chunks crashing down into the atmosphere of Korriban Prime.

Cade landed the shuttle on the ship, where he was met by Bastila, who immediately rushed to Revan's side.

"What did you do now?" she asked, clearly worried by his limp.

Revan winked at Cade. "Just getting a bit old, I guess. I'm gonna have to get used to someone hovering over me all day." he said, teasing.

Bastila slugged him in the side. "Let's get you to the bridge-we're ready to head home."

Revan shook his head. "Get everyone down here instead-we're leaving on the _Hawk._"

She nodded.

When everyone else showed up, Atton took the _Hawk_ away from the fleet.

Revan sent a coded signal to the computer on the flagship. "We're not leaving things so they can rebuild in ten years."

The ships accelerated-some into the atmosphere to crash on strategic targets, others into the shipyards and other military installations.

"The galaxy should be safe now. Let's go home." Cade said. He walked out.

**Chapter 10: Endings.**

Cade was waiting in the anteroom of the Council Room on Coruscant. They were debating what to do with him. Part of Cade hoped they just sent him home to Dantooine. He'd had more than enough adventure to last a lifetime. But another part knew that wasn't going to happen. He noticed Revan and Bastila walking up.

Revan looked at him. "Cade. Waiting for the sentencing?" he asked, mockingly.

Cade snorted. "You wish. They've been debating on what to do with me."

Bastila smiled. "It won't be bad-Revan and I had a few words with them earlier." Cade grinned. "Where are you two off too?"

Revan laughed. "Corellia, for a nice, long vacation. We'll be back in a month or so-the Jedi want me on the Council. You'll hear about it later." They walked away.

The chamber doors opened. Cade stood, straightened his robes, and walked inside. Jolee was sitting near the window. He smiled at Cade, who wasn't sure how to take that. He went to the center of the room and bowed to the Master of the Council, who nodded in reply. "Cade Richards, we have been considering your rather special case." he said. "And, based on both the recommendations of the Jedi Historians, Master Shan, and Revan, and our own judgment, we have all come to an agreement. You shall receive the rank of 'Master' immediately, and you will be granted a full seat on the Council, in light of your service to the Republic."

Cade bowed again. "I am honored, Master." The Master smiled. "You need not bow to me any longer. The announcement will go out tomorrow, but Jolee will take you to the Supreme Chancellor's office tonight-I believe the Chancellor wishes to present you with the Cross of Glory and such. Your things have been brought from Dantooine here to the Temple. We look forward to seeing you in Council tomorrow. In the mean time, enjoy the nights festivities." Jolee led Cade out of the room. Neither of them said anything for a moment as they walked to the speeder park.

Finally, Jolee laughed. "Finally, a Council decision I can really agree with. You on the Council should shake things up a bit."

Cade shook Jolee's shoulder. "You'll still have to come visit me, old man." Jolee nodded. "Glad it's over?" he asked.

Cade paused. "Mostly." They exited out onto the deck, and Cade looked out on the Coruscanti skyline silhouetted in the sunset. "You know..." he said quietly, "it was all worth it."

**The End.**


End file.
